MOSCOW (MRC) -- LyondellBasell (LBI), the world's largest polyolefins producer, reported an equipment failure at its La Porte linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant, which forced the company to shut down the 355,000 tons/year unit without a return schedule, according to CommoPlast with reference to the company's official letter to its customers on 17 June 2021.
LyondellBasell is currently evaluating the impact of the event on its ability to supply the materials.
As MRC reported earlier, LBI declared a force majeure (FM) on shipments of some polypropylene (PP) grades from its Wesseling plant in Germany as of May 20. Thus, the FM was declared for all PP Moplen grades produced at this plant with the capacity of 238,000 mt/year. However, the reactor issies, which resulted in force majeure, were found at one line of this plant with the capacity of 135,000 mt/year.
Besides, LBI also declared FM on supplies of some PP grades from its Ferrara plant in Italy as of May 3. This plant is able to produce 285.000 tons/year of PP. At the time of press, no details were shared regarding the reason or duration of the FM.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, April LLDPE shipments to the Russian market increased to 56,810 tonnes from 35,810 tonnes a year earlier. Local producers raised their PE output. LLDPE shipments to the market were 132,470 tonnes in January-April 2021, up by 4% year on year.
LyondellBasell is one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world. Driven by its 13,000 employees around the globe, LyondellBasell produces materials and products that are key to advancing solutions to modern challenges like enhancing food safety through lightweight and flexible packaging, protecting the purity of water supplies through stronger and more versatile pipes, and improving the safety, comfort and fuel efficiency of many of the cars and trucks on the road. LyondellBasell sells products into approximately 100 countries and is the world's largest licensor of polyolefin technologies.
MRC